Cloud computing is the delivery of computing as a service rather than as a product, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to client devices (e.g., computers, smart phones, etc.) as a utility over a network, such as the Internet. Cloud computing environments provide computation, software, data access, and/or storage services that do not require end-user knowledge of a physical location and configuration of a system that delivers the services.
A data center is a facility used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunication systems and storage systems. A data center generally includes redundant or backup power supplies, redundant data communications connections, environmental controls (e.g., air conditioning, fire suppression, etc.), and/or security devices. In one example, a data center may share information with a cloud computing environment that may be utilized by client devices.
A cloud device in a cloud computing environment may utilize a virtual machine (VM) that includes a software implementation of a machine (e.g., a computer) for executing a program like a physical machine. In one example, a virtual machine may enable applications provided in the cloud device, or in other cloud devices of the cloud computing environment, to securely communicate with one another. However, communications between the applications may need to follow a circuitous communication path from one application, to the virtual machine, and finally to the other application. Such a circuitous communication path may be time consuming and inefficient.